Heat tickled the back of her neck. Then his breath brushed over her skin. “What’s going on, Polly?”
“Nothing.” Why couldn’t she lie without becoming breathless?
His mouth grazed her neck, sending a shudder down her spine. “Then why can’t I come with you?”
Her heart started to beat faster, and she almost wanted to tilt her head and see if he’d kiss her.
No. She had to go. And dammit, it looked like she was going to have to take him with her. “Fine. You can come.”
“Really?”
She turned. “But I drive.”
He frowned. She expected him to argue on the driving part. Instead, he slipped an arm around her waist and lowered his head. “You forgot to do this when you snuck out this morning.” Then he lowered his head and kissed her, and she almost forgot…about the church. About the suspicious secret boyfriend.
A throat cleared from the hall. “Um, Polly?”
She pushed Joel’s big chest, and he stepped back. “Yeah, Mom?”
“I just wanted to say I hope you have a lovely day.” There was a deliriously happy smile on her mother’s face.
“Thanks.” She turned toward the door. “Let’s go.”
In the car, she waited for Joel to climb into the passenger seat, then took off, her gaze flicking to the time on the dashboard.
Five to ten. How was it already five to ten? The service ended at ten. Man, she’d slept in too late.
“You gonna tell me what’s going on?” Joel asked.
“Nope.” But he’d find out in about five seconds. She turned onto the street with the local Catholic church, but instead of turning into the parking lot, she stopped across the road but a little bit back. Perfect. A prime position to see every person who stepped out.
“Interesting,” Joel said. “We reallyaregoing to church.”
“You thought I wasn’t?” She pulled out her granola bar and broke it in half, handing him the bigger piece.
“I one hundred percent thought you were lying.” He took the bar. “I had a shortlist of places we were actually going.”
“Huh. What was on the list?”
“The river. That creepy house on the hill. The sheriff’s office.” He took a bite of his granola bar.
“I suck at lying. It’s much safer for me to stick closer to the truth.”
“You gonna tell me why we’re here then?”
“Not yet.”
She’d just polished off her granola bar when the doors to the church opened. She straightened. “They’re finished.”
A few older people she recognized from around town stepped out. A couple of families. She frowned at the sight of Anika and Mark. They were very much regulars at the café, yet she’d had no idea they attended church.
She gasped at seeing the next person who stepped out. “Jonah?” He went to church? Did her mother know? She’d never said anything.
“Are we here to spy on Jonah?” Joel asked.
She opened her mouth to tell him—but then Jonah stopped at the bottom of the steps and hugged a woman.
Who was that? She was young. Maybe early twenties? She had platinum-blond hair and wore a short navy dress. She wasbeautiful…and the hug wasn’t a quick one. It almost looked intimate.
